Do I have to always re-tune TV when switching aerials?

toby2111

Have 2 cables in bedroom,1 analogue and the other running from back of Sky+ box in sitting room(using magic eye in bedrom).So,if I was watching Sky,the OH could watch terrestial channels in bedroom by plugging in analogue aerial.
Just got Walker Saorview compatible TV.Did automatic scan on analogue aerial,got Saorview channels.However when I now plug in Sky aerial,it says "your previous digital channel list will be replaced" and it scans for the Sky channel.Then I have to go through the whole re-tuning process when I plug in the analogue aerial again!!
So,do I have to do this every time I switch aerials?Please excuse the long winded explanation!

Mods-This may be more suited in the Satellite forum so feel free to move it.

The Cush

toby2111 wrote: »

So,do I have to do this every time I switch aerials?

Using your current setup you do because each time you do a scan you lose the channels from the other feed. I assume you don't have a terrestrial aerial conected to the Sky+ box.

I guess the simplest solution is to get a Y splitter (available in any hardware store) and connect the two aerial feeds to the TV and scan for both analogue (Sky feed) and digital (Saorview) channels making sure that the Sky RF output doesn't clash with the Saorview UHF channels.

toby2111

So do I have to connect a terrestrial aerial to my sky box?I just have normal coax from RF 2 output on box to 2nd tv in bedroom.

The Cush

A Y splitter at your second TV joining the two feeds will work.

Alternatively you could connect an aerial to the aerial input on your Sky receiver and feed the Saorview channels out via RF 1 and RF 2 outputs to the first and second TV, making sure that the two UHF RF outputs don't clash with the Saorview UHF channels. The Saorview digital channels will be combined with the (analogue) Sky channel on RF 1&2. Y splitter not required with this option.

toby2111

OK,something strange has happened.Yesterday,when I plugged in Sky cable to new TV,I selected digital scan only which brought up the Sky feed.Just now,I selected full scan which brought up all Saorview channels and placed Sky on channel 903.How can this be when the analogue aerial is not plugged in?

Edit-Knew it was too good to be true!!Picture froze a little,remote wouldn't change channels.So I turned TV on/off again.I presume this won't happen if I use a Y splitter?

lucernarian

The Cush wrote: »

Using your current setup you do because each time you do a scan you lose the channels from the other feed. I assume you don't have a terrestrial aerial conected to the Sky+ box.

I guess the simplest solution is to get a Y splitter (available in any hardware store) and connect the two aerial feeds to the TV and scan for both analogue (Sky feed) and digital (Saorview) channels making sure that the Sky RF output doesn't clash with the Saorview UHF channels.

I'm a bit perplexed here, why would the Walker box rescan just because the aerial cable's been swapped with the sky one? Can it not just say "no signal" or whatever until the aerial cable's back in place?

A Y-splitter can combine them but I've tried this out recently and signal loss can be terrible when using one, such that Saorview would no longer work!

toby2111

Bit perplexed also TBC!I presume the Walker TV had to scan for the signal coming from Sky box but it replaces the previous channel list(from Saorview), which is a bit of a pain.In saying that,I'm getting both Saorview and Sky on the 2nd TV but I've only got Sky cable plugged in!Confusing...

lucernarian

If it's possible, a better solution would be to plug an aerial feed into the Sky box aerial in. That way, you should get the saorview channels albeit directed through the sky box. The total cable length could be longer and therefore weaken the signal a bit but it's definitely worth a shot.

Gerry Wicklow

I heard rumours of older Walker boxes "forgetting" channels once switched off forcing a re-scan each time.

toby2111

Is there an aerial in slot at back of sky box?Could be a lot of hassle trying to run cable,its quite long from sitting room to bedroom,I live in a bungalow!Might just try that Y splitter,it'll be much cheaper also.

Do you why,or how, I'm getting Saorview through the Sky cable?Or do I have a magic TV!!!

Peter Rhea

toby2111 wrote: »

In saying that,I'm getting both Saorview and Sky on the 2nd TV but I've only got Sky cable plugged in!Confusing...

Take a look at your Skybox, there must be a terrestrial aerial connected to RF in.

toby2111

I've got cables coming out of Dish input 1 and 2,and another coming out of RF 2 out.

Peter Rhea

What kind of aerial are you using for the Saorview channels, how close are you to the transmitter?

toby2111

Just a normal TV aerial for the Saorview channels.But its not plugged in now,the Sky cable from the back of the Sky box is plugged in and I can get both Saorview and sky,which I don't understand.I'm in Blackrock,Dundalk,just looked at transmitter map,presume I'm closest to Clermont Carn?

Peter Rhea

toby2111 wrote: »

Just a normal TV aerial for the Saorview channels.

An outdoor aerial? Is there a distribution system to other rooms?

Did you rig the Skybox RF2 yourself? If there's no aerial connected to the Skybox & the RF2 feed to the other tv simply consists of a length of cable that's not integrated into any distribution system, then it's probably safe to assume that you have sufficient signal strength for this cable to act as an aerial for the Saorview channels.

Also we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the tv shouldn't 'forget' channel settings.

toby2111

Yeh,an outdoor aerial on the roof.Think theres a booster box in the attic which sends signals to 3 other TV's but reception(for UK channels) was never great on analogue before.RTE etc was grand.

My TV is brand new and its not forgetting channels,think a previous poster said it was a problem on older sets.

Yes,I rigged the RF2 myself,with my Dads help.Read on the net how to do it and gave it a lash.Just bought the coax and the fittings and ran it from Skybox to 2nd TV.Works a treat and can change channels with magic eye.

lucernarian

toby2111 wrote: »

Is there an aerial in slot at back of sky box?Could be a lot of hassle trying to run cable,its quite long from sitting room to bedroom,I live in a bungalow!Might just try that Y splitter,it'll be much cheaper also.

Do you why,or how, I'm getting Saorview through the Sky cable?Or do I have a magic TV!!!

There definitely is an aerial in socket. Just look at the back of the box. What cable would have to be run? I assume your main TV in the sitting room would have an aerial cable if your bedroom has one?

I'm confused even more now, why are you bothering using the aerial cable for the walker TV if the sky box cable also gives you the saorview channels? Once they come from *somewhere*, there shouldn't be any problem?

Btw, can you tell us what sort of aerial you have outside? Is there one or two aerials on the pole?

toby2111

Peter-Yes,the RF2 feed runs directly into 2nd TV

toby2111

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I'm confused even more now, why are you bothering using the aerial cable for the walker TV if the sky box cable also gives you the saorview channels? Once they come from *somewhere*, there shouldn't be any problem?

Theres no problem TBC(apart from the remote freezing for a brief moment).I'm just curious to know how I'm receiving both through sky cable.But,as you said,once they're coming from somewhere,I'm happy!

Peter Rhea

Well, if there's definitely no terr. aerial connected to the Skybox, the RF2 cable must be acting as such (mentioned in previous post edit).

lucernarian

Peter Rhea wrote: »

Well, if there's definitely no terr. aerial connected to the Skybox, the RF2 cable must be acting as such (mentioned in previous post edit).

Indeed, and if that's the case, a rabbits ears would work better than the sky cable for Saorview or else the cable that's being used to go from sky box to bedroom is particularly sh1t. If there is an aerial feed available at the sky box though, it should definitely be plugged into the aerial in socket on the sky box for the sake of stronger and more reliable reception if nothing else.

Some houses in Dundalk/Blackrock seem to only have aerials for the Irish channels and don't have any aerial designed to pick up NI reception so that could be why the BBCs etc have much worse reception.

toby2111

By the way,here's a pic of the aerial because I'm not very technically minded!

toby2111

The cable from box to 2nd TV could indeed be crap as I hooked it up myself and I'm a complete amateur at these things!

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

If there is an aerial feed available at the sky box though, it should definitely be plugged into the aerial in socket on the sky box for the sake of stronger and more reliable reception if nothing else

TBC-Can I ask you a question?For the past 3 or 4 months,my Sky EPG shows "no programme synopsis available" occassionally,while other times its fine.Picture sometimes doesn't show also so I have to turn box on/off .I'm also unable to Sky+ programmes anymore,keeps coming up as failed,no other details.I rang Sky,guy went through a few options but its not improved.Unfortunately,Im out of contract so would have to pay Sky engineer €100 to fix it.Signal strength is fine so could it have something to do with that aerial feed on sky box?It was working fine for over a year so maybe the box is just knackered.Sorry for going off topic!

The Cush

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I'm a bit perplexed here, why would the Walker box rescan just because the aerial cable's been swapped with the sky one? Can it not just say "no signal" or whatever until the aerial cable's back in place?

A Y-splitter can combine them but I've tried this out recently and signal loss can be terrible when using one, such that Saorview would no longer work!

The TV doesn't rescan itself, the OP rescans each time he swaps the aerial and in doing so he loses the the channels from the other aerial feed because it isn't plugged into the TV.

I use a splitter at one of my TVs never had a problem.

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

If it's possible, a better solution would be to plug an aerial feed into the Sky box aerial in. That way, you should get the saorview channels albeit directed through the sky box. The total cable length could be longer and therefore weaken the signal a bit but it's definitely worth a shot.

As I suggested in post #4

lucernarian

The Cush wrote: »

The TV doesn't rescan itself, the OP rescans each time he swaps the aerial and in doing so he loses the the channels from the other aerial feed because it isn't plugged into the TV.

I use a splitter at one of my TVs never had a problem.

The OP is saying that the walker TV insists on rescanning, it's not the OP who wants to rescan every time the cable is swapped.

Edit: Toby, I fixed a problem like this for someone not long back and the issue was that one of the two cables going from the dish to the sky box was banjaxed. The lazy sky installer just robbed an existing old aerial cable and used it as one of the two feeds for the box. It was a miracle it even worked for 3 years. You can go into the sky+ box's setup menu and look around for something like signal strength and quality. If one of the cable feeds is weaker than the other, it's probably a cable fault. Or.. I'm a bit hazy on details but if you plug out one of the two satellite inputs, and then try the other cable in each of the two input sockets, you should be able to see which cable works and which doesn't by seeing which one displays a picture when tuned to e.g. RTE1. (You might have to setup the sky box to accept only one input but I can't remember exactly how you'd do that. Try it out anyway). If both of them give dodgy signal readings, then it's more complicated and it could mean both cables are gone, or more likely the sky dish needs a realignment.

A local satellite installer would charge less than €100 for adjusting a dish.

toby2111

Ah crap!Now the magic eye has stopped working!The red light on it has gone off,but theres still a picture being sent to second TV,cant change channels!

The Cush

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

The OP is saying that the walker TV insists on rescanning, it's not the OP who wants to rescan every time the cable is swapped.

Yes, missed that on first reading.

toby2111

Just checked signal, in settings of EPG-Input 1 strength and quality is near perfect but input 2 signal strength is zero.Is that my problem?

Edit-swapped input cables and only one is working!Think I had the same lazy Sky installer that you mentioned TBC because there was a sky box here before I got mine so I presume he just used the old cable.Is it a big job to replace that cable?Could I do it?Or will I leave it to the professionals?!

lucernarian

Yeah, it's pretty disgraceful as in the case I had to repair, the cable was about 35 years old and was a drop cable for a small group of houses which had a shared large aerial for colour TV from Divis in Belfast, and RTE1 from the Wicklow mountains. This place was near the river Boyne in Drogheda. The transmitter near Dundalk wasn't even built at this stage. Needless to say, the cable wasn't double screened:p

It's usually not that big a job but it all depends on where the sky dish is, where the sky box is and what's in between. If it's easy to pass the cable inside (e.g through a hole in window frame or a hole into attic from fascia board then it shouldn't be too bad to do. It's just a case of plugging the new cable into the LNB at the end of the sky dish (with an f-connector, you can take one off the faulty cable if necessary) and running that cable down to the sky box. Make sure the cover over the LNB sockets is firmly down after you've hooked up the new cable as a minimum, preferably some "self-amalgamating tape" would be used for the cable and f-connector also to make it waterproof. If the cable is less than 20 metres long, some ordinary satellite or "RG6" cable can be used which is cheaply got in electrical wholesalers or atlantic homecare in Dundalk.

Booms

Have a good look at your cable connectors that go into the sky box.
They should both look the same, with about 1/8" (give or take) of centre core poking out of the plug. Also check that there are no copper strands shorting across to the centre core on the bad cable. If that's all that's wrong will save you a lot of grief.

For your magic eye problem, if it was working before, you've probably just disturbed the connections when you moved the box. If you removed the extensions to the other room, did you plug the right room cable back into the right socket? Only the RF2 output will connect to a magic eye.

toby2111

Problem solved!Booms-it was dodgy connections!Input 1 and 2 fully on now and magic eye back to normal,happy days!

lucernarian

I was thinking about this earlier to see if there was a connector issue at fault, but I assumed that it used to work and now it no longer does. I should have mentioned it either way.

toby2111

No worries TBC,a simple solution to what I thought was a complex problem!Just goes to show that the slightest bad connection can cause probs.